The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-18
HORROR.
A Heavily Laden Illinois Excur-
sion Train Dashes Into
Burning Bridge.
Over 100 Killed, Fifty Fatally and
400 Badly Injured-The
Dreadful Scenes

CHArswoRTH, ILL.,, August ia train
left Bloomington last night for Niagara
Falls on the Illinois Central, the intention
being to go by that road as far as Chats
worth, and from thence by way OF the
Toledo, Peoria a. Warsaw. AS the train
neared Piper City,,a small town in Ford
county, the bridge crossing the Vermillion
river gave way, plunging the engine and
several cars down a steep embankment
into the stream. The cars caught fire
from the lamps and a fearful panic en-
sued. On investigation it was found that
nearly one hundred excursionists were
killed or injured.
A CONDUCTORS ACCOUNT.
CHICAGO, August 1.-The conductor of
the Chicago & Alton passenger tram,
which has Just arrived in Chicago from
Bloomington, where the Toledo, Peoria d.
Warsaw and Chicago g. Alton railways con-
meet learned from one of the conductors
of the first named road that an accident
had occurred near Piper City, small
station east of Chatsworth. An excursion
train which was on the bridge near Piper
CITY came into collision with another
train going in an opposite direction. The
cars of the excursion train were piled
upon each other in fearful confusion, and
q from the shock of the collision the bridge
gave way. Several cars were precipitated
into the stream.
a8 The conductor says that the killed num-
bered between forty and fifty, and that
the injured are more than twice that num-
Der. The accident occurred sometime be-
tween - and o'clock, this morning. A
relief train with physicians was sent from
IA Peoria this morning to the scene OF the
* wreck.
N Information was received at the Illinois
"a Central Office, in this city, to the effect
that the train consisted of two engines
and sixteen coaches. A culvert had been
burned away about two miles east of
Chatsworth, presumably by prairie fire,
and about o'clock this morning the en-
&. gines and coaches went over.
The agent at Chatsworth reports to Gen
eral Manager E. p. Jeffrey, of the Illinois
Central. that over one hundred were
killed and a like number injured. He can
give no further particulars. Peoria gen
tlemen say the train was made up at
Peoria, so that probably majority OF
the victims are from that city, or its i'm
mediate vicinity. Twelve cars started
from Peoria, including four sleepers. The
intention was to take another coach filled
' with excursionists at Bloomington.
THE OARS TELESCOPE.
UHATswoRTH, August ia Niagara
Falls excursion train on the Toledo
Peoria g. Western railway, consisting OF
seventeen coaches and sleepers, crowded
with passengers from Peoria, ILL.,, ano
points along the line, was wrecked, to-
gether with ten coaches and the baggage
car. Engineer McClintock was instantly
killed, and two firemen and the other en-
pineer escaped serious injury. len cars
were piled on top of the two engines, be-
ing telescoped and piled across and on TOT
of each other. It was miraculous how an!
escaped, as the coaches and engines az
not occupy over four lengths of track
and all on top of the road. In one coacl
not a person escaped; in another, but on
"a lady.
Seventy dead have been taken out III
to this time; one hundred wounded ar
now in Chatsworth in the town hail. schoo
house. depot, etc. At Piper City Their
are large number of wounded-oVe
6ftv. The dead are estimated at owe
one hundred The cars caught fire, but
was pat out by the trainmen and passen
gers. A heavy rain set in about an hou
after the wreck, and before the wounde
could be taken away, raining for tw
hours. The people are doing all they cal
for the wounded.
DREADFUL DISASTER.
= CHICAGO, August 11.-A special troI
Chatsworth says 1t was wild and 81
cited throng which surrounded the Unlo
depot in Peoria this morning, when tn
news of the wreck of the Niagara excul
sion train, with fifteen coaches and tW
engines, had spread like wildtire. For
hundred excursionists from Peoria, Cal
ton, Eureka and other places-many c
"a them we'll known and highly respecte
throughout central Illinois-were aboar'
All sorts of rumors were floating aroun
~ and the number of killed were varlousl
81 estimated at from six to hundred. In
first regular train left Peoria at 81
Everyone was sad, and discussed tt
probable results in accents low. 1t WI
impossible to hear anything in Peori
and many men and women aboard we
fearful lest some dear one was among U